Self-opening envelope



Jan. 31, 1933. C, RUBlNQ. I

'SELF 'OPENING ENVELOPE Filed 4April 13, 19314 2 sheets-sheet 1 Jan. 3l, 1933. c. RUBINO 1,895,645

SELF OPENING ENVELOPE Filed April l5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR i i Cerf@ Eui/o BY ,g

A TTORNE Y 60 material part of this Patented Jan. 31, 1933 PATENT oFFlcE l canLo RUBINO, or ELUSHING', NEW Yom:

SELF-OPENING ENVELOPE Application led April 18,

This invention relates to new and'useful improvements in a Seli-opening envelope.v The invention has for an ob] ect the production of a self-opening envelope which is char, 5 acterized by a string extended along the bendl of the flap of the envelope and havmg aprojecting end capable of being pulled to cause the shearing open of the envelope along the fiap bend.

It is a still further object of this invention to make use of a tab pasted within the envelope at one end and holding down the inner end of the string.

Furthermore, it is proposed to paste the string along its full length within the'bend.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of means for opening either the longitudinal side of the envelope or one of the transverse sides.

It is proposed to arrange a string extended along the bend of the flap of the envelope, and the bend at one of the sides and to have both ends projecting to allow opening of the lon 'tudinal sides ora transverse'side.

urthermore, as another object of this 1nventlon, it is proposed to arrange the string mentioned in the previous paragraph, in a4 manner so that w en one end isl drawn to open one side, the other end is drawn in so as not to be extended, making it impossible to open the other side.

As another object, it is proposed to provide a knife edge to act against the string and cut the string 1f one of the sides ofthe envelope is opened.

Another object of this invention is to construct a device of the class mentioned which is of simple, durable construction, desirable o in use and eicient in action, and which can be .manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following de- 45 scription and4 accompanying drawings, and

to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. p In the` accompanyindrawings, forming a 1931. Serial No. 529,620.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an envelope :constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illus- 55 trating a modified construction.

Fig. 4 is a, sectional view taken on the line 4-4 o f Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the knife member used for cutting the string. 60

Fig. 6 is a similar view 'to Fig. 1, showing the opening string located in the bottom side of the envelope.

Figs.- 7, 8 and 9 are -similarviews to Fig. 65

1, showin other forms of the invention.

These f -opening envelope, according to this invention, consists of an envelope 10 which may be of any design and construction. It may be of any size or an quality of paper. The envelope 10 is provi ed with a' 7 flap 11 which normally open and 'which may be pasted down upon the back of the envelope to seal its contents.. For this purpose, v 7'5 um matcria1'12 is arranged upon the ed e. string 13 is asted in the bend between t e flap 11 and tv e remaining portion of the envelope.

One end 14 of the string is held stationary by a paper tab 15 which is pasted within the envelope. The 'end 14 is bent substantially at right angles 'to the main portion of the strin so that the tab 15 ma be of suilicient lengt to firmly :hold it in p ace. The other end 16 of the string is slightly extended fromY 85 they side lofA the envelope sonthat it -may `be drawn to cause openig of the envelope after the ilap has been seal In the modified form of the invention illustratedin Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, a means 90 has been disclosed for opening the envelope either along the longitudinal'side' or a transverse end. This. means comprises a small);

metallic tube -1'2' held within one corner of the envelope b a tab 18, preferably made from mi tubular member 17 and in -'one direction along 100 the bend of the fia 11, while'in the other direction along the end of one of the ends ofthe envelope. Tabs serve to slidably ksupport .the string 19 so that it may be lon tudlnally drawn.- It is requisite that t e string be not pasted down so that it may move. Each'of the ends 16 of the string pro- 'ect from the envelope so that either end may e drawn and pulled to cause opening of the envelope.

Knots 21 are formed inv4 the string 19 at portions on opposite sides of the tube 17 sov Fig. 3 closed. The projecting end of the string 19 from the iap' may be drawn uplwards so as to cut the flap at the bend and cause opening of the envelope. When the bend has been-cut to the end where the tube 17 is located, further drawing of the string 1n causes the string to move if it'has not already done so during the .cutting of the .bend to a position in which one of the knots 21 engages against one of the ends cf the tubular mem-- ber 17. The knot is of 4such size so that it cannot pass through the tube, and consequentl further pulling of the string results in the knife edge on the other end of the tube cutting it.

After the string moved, the remaining extending end 16 was drawn in so that the end of the envelope cannot be opened. In.,the event that the erson wishes to open'the end instead of the ongitudinal side, it would be necessary only to draw the other end of the string instead of the one which was drawn.

The operation is'very identical4 and will be readily understood without further ampliiication. The advantage of opening the' longitudinal side or the transverse end of the envelope resides in the fact that quite often peri'cations coming withinthe sco e of the in`l sens wish to save the envelope and are partlcular to have Athe envelope openedon one side or on one endv according to their desires.`

In Fig. 7 threetabs 20 are rovided for holding string 13 in position, w ilelin Fig. 8 onl two are used to hold string 13. In Fig. 9 t e string is' glued or cemented to the envelope 10 without any tab. In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, both ends 16 of the string 13 extend out of the envelope 10. v I l,

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not lim'it myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved-to all changes and modivention as defined-in the appen ed claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and vdesire to secure by United States lLetters Patent is 1. A self-o enin envelope, comprising sheet materia? in t e form of an envelope and having a iiap capable of being closed,

bem formed in the string on opposite sideS of t e tubular member.

2. A self-opening envelope, comprising sheet material in the form of an envelope and having a flap capable of being closed,

and means for opening one of the longitud nal sides or a transverse end, com rising a small tubular member attached within one of the corners of the envelope, a string ex,

tendin through the tubular member .and extendin alon the iiap bend and one ofthe ends, bot of t e ends of the string projectg slightly from the envelope, an knots being of the tubular member,- the ends of the tubular member being'sharpened to form knife edges to cut the string after one section or ormed in the string on opposite sidesV the other section on one or the other sides of the tubular memberis fully drawn.

3. A self-opening` envelope, comprising l sheetmateria in the form of an envelope and having a-iiap capable of being closed, and means for opening one of the longitudinal sides or a transverse end, com rising a small tubular member attached Iwit in. one of the corners of the envelope, av string extending through the tubular member and extending along the ilap bend and one of the ends, both ofthe ends ofthe string ro1ecting-slightly from the envelope, an knots belng formed in the string on op osite sides of the tubular member, said knots ein larger than the tubular-member so as to unable to'pass through the tubular member. l 4. A selfopening envelope, comprisin sheet material in theform of an envelo e an having a` flap capable of being close and means for opening one of the'longitudlnal sides lor a transverse end, comprising a small tubular member attached witin one of the corners of the envelope, a string .extending along the flap bend and one of the ends, bot

of the ends of the string projecting slightlyl 5. A se f-opening envelope, comprising sheet material in the form of an envelope vand having a flap capable of being closed,

andmeans -forA opening one of the lorigitudithrough the tubular member an extendin 1520 nal sides or a transverse end, com rising a. small tubular member attached wlthn one of the corners of the envelope, a string extending through the tubular member and ex- 5 tending along the flap bend and one of the ends, bothof the ends of the vstring projecting sli htly from the envelope, knots being forme in the 'string on'opposite sides ofthe tubular member, and means for severing the 10 string from the envelope after the envelope is o ned,com lrising knife ed es formed on bot sides of t e tubular mem rs. c

In testimony whereof I have ixed my signature. 15 CARLO RUBINO. 

